Over the next few weeks, we will be addressing the freeze damage to plants which everyone has suffered. We are working on a video giving easy to follow instructions about what to prune and how.
It is not critical, and in fact, may be too early, to start most pruning immediately. If you have palm leaves hanging down, you may prune them as soon as this last freeze (hopefully) passes. Gingers, which look blowtorched, may be cut to 18″ tall this weekend if desired. Blackened, wilted herbaceous plants like Mexican petunia (Ruellia) and shrimp plant can be cut close to the ground. But woody shrubs like ixora and plumbago, small trees like citrus, and sad looking philodendrons should be left alone another week until we can more closely determine the level of damage, and therefore where to prune.
Watch for us to address these recovery issues here in the Garden News and on social media. Email us at info@gillnursery or message us on Facebook and Instagram with your related questions, so our upcoming instruction video is as complete as possible in helping you through this temporary setback.
– James Gill
Eunice Hermann says
How about Pygmy Palms?
James Gill says
Many are dead. If the tip pulls out, you have a very small chance of survival. But if it doesn’t irk you to look at it, you can wait a few months to see if any new leaves emerge.
Sonya says
What could I do with my banana trees? I had about 60 of them and some have fallen over at the ground but I have some still standing, basically the trunk part. What can I do tell if they might have any kind of chance to grow or do I need to take them all down to the ground? I’m so sad about these as they were my favorite.
James Gill says
Probably all dead to the ground, but squeeze the trunks of the standing ones, and if you find any firmness, cut to that point. You will not set any fruit this year, but they all should regrow from the below ground suckers. Thin them out if necessary (probably).